HOMILY ASH WEDNESDAY – Year A Ambassadors of Reconciliation (Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2Cor 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) ********************************************************* When former premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer, retired from provincial politics, he had another more prestigious role waiting for him. He accepted to become the Canadian ambassador to the United States. He moved from being a […]

HOMILY WEEK 02 06 – Year II FEAST of the CONVERSION OF ST PAUL (Acts 22:3-16/Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 117; Mark 16:15-18) ********************************************************** The readings, including both versions from Acts, for today’s feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, focus on his encounter with Jesus and the Great Commission Jesus gave to his disciples. The message […]

HOMILY TUESDAY of HOLY WEEK Redemptive Suffering and Brokenness (Is 49:1-6; Ps 71; Jn 13:21-33. 36-38) ****************************************** As a young seminarian, my spiritual director was Fr. Adam Exner, who eventually became an archbishop. After hearing my story (the first one to ever do so), Exner observed that I needed to work on my relationship with […]

HOMILY PALM SUNDAY YEAR C  Palm Sunday – Feast of Compassion and Forgiveness (Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 22:14-23:56) ************************************************** Did you notice the transition in the passion story today – from Jesus the Celebrity, to Jesus the Crucified? Palm Sunday is an invitation to see the Cross as a blessing, as a […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 05 Faith, Prayer and Presence (Jer 20:7-13; Ps 18; Jn 10:31-42) ************************************* Faith, prayer and presence sum up the readings for today. We are invited to place our total trust in Jesus as Son of God, pray to God from the heart out of our need, and live in an intimate […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 06 A Covenant of Peace (Jer 37:21-28; Jer 31:10-13; Jn 11:45-57) ************************************ Have you ever had an experience of being in exile? of feeling alienated and lost? out of sorts? One day on Facebook Danny from north central Saskatchewan posted: “Pray for me today – I don’t feel so good.” Perhaps […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 04 A Covenant Relationship of Intimate Love (Gen 17:3-9; Ps 105; Jn 8:51-59) *********************************** Robert was a very popular but alcoholic priest. Unfortunately, he ended up in the hospital after having an alcohol-related accident. There he confided with a friend who had come to visit him that alcohol wasn’t his problem […]

LENT HOMILY WEEK 05 03 Glory and Praise; Worship and Blessing (Dan 3:13-95; Dn 3; Jn 8:31-42) ***************************************** Many parishes are familiar with the hymnbook Glory and Praise that came out many years ago. That title, the psalm response and readings today combine to provide us with a clear message centered on faith: believe in […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 02 Finding New Life in Jesus (Nm 21:4-9; Ps 102; Jn 8:21-30) ************************************* Ordinarily, liturgists try to find a first reading that connects with the gospel for the day. That connection today is very clear and invites us to put our total faith in Jesus, to turn to him for new […]

HOMILY LENT WEEK 05 01 (Year C) On Being Light to the World (Dan 13:1-64; Ps 23; Jn 8:12-20) ********************************* On a train journey East, Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner OMI sat next to a businessman who was complaining quite openly about almost everything in his life – his work, wife, family, political situation, etc. After […]